


Stan's Son

by impish_nature



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Father Figure, Gen, Set after the finale, Soos and Stan bonding!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-15
Updated: 2016-05-15
Packaged: 2018-06-08 16:32:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6863446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/impish_nature/pseuds/impish_nature
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stan finds out about what Soos saw in Mabel’s bubble. (warning for some swearing)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stan's Son

**Author's Note:**

> This became huge. It was just meant to be a drabble but I couldn't resist! All the fluff!

“So, I heard you helped the twins out a lot during this…Apocalypse thing?”

Soos blinked, glancing down from his spot fixing the light in the living room. It was the night before the twins’ birthday and whilst most things had been fixed throughout the house with the help of half the townspeople, there were still some things that seemed to be on the blink more often than not as other issues were solved. He shuffled down the ladder as Stan sat in his usual seat, Pitt Cola clicking open as he gave a happy sigh and relaxed back into his chair. “Yeah, I guess.”

“You guess? Dipper was just telling me how amazing you were when you found him and Wendy after she crashed a car or something- remind me to give her some driving lessons soon.” Stan smirked as Soos seemed embarrassed by the praise. It really was a blessing to have all the memories that mattered to him back, or as far as he was aware. He knew everyone that surrounded him and at the moment that was enough.

And what with the twins having absolutely exhausted themselves in their excitement for tomorrow even though it was still the early hours of the evening, it was nice to have a peaceful moment talking to the man who had stood by him for so many years.

“I don’t know if that will make her any better at driving, Mr Pines.” Soos grinned at the hearty chuckle he got in response, sliding the step ladder shut and putting it up against the wall.  

“Are you questioning my driving skills, Soos?” Stan mock glared at him, trying to keep his tone gruff and his face annoyed. He raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of his drink. “You didn’t answer my question by the way. You did a good job from what Dipper said.”

Soos shrugged, a hand slipping around the back of his neck. “Well, I mean. I just went with it, dude. Mabel needed us in that bubble of hers, wasn’t gonna not go with him and Wendy, you know?”

“Hm. Maybe I should give you that raise we were joking about before.”

Soos’s eyes widened, his face almost distraught. “Mr Pines, are you feeling alright? Are you having another memory lapse and forgotten how much you hoard money?”

Stan blinked at the growing horror spreading across his face for a few moments before he couldn’t keep a straight face himself. Laughter bubbled out loud and low as he shook his head, slapping a hand to his knee. “Wow, if I’d have known that would have scared you that much I would have used that joke long ago.” He wiped under his eye as he continued to chuckle away to himself. “Worth it.”

Soos relaxed as Stan laughed, shuffling closer to stand beside his chair. It wasn’t long before he was laughing along with him, unable to resist the happiness rising up at the fact that his boss was back in all his glory after the last few distressing days.

“That being said. You still did good, Soos…I’m proud of you.”

Silence echoed after the words. Soos wasn’t even sure he had heard them.

Stan coughed, voice turning less congenial when he continued. “How- how’s that light coming along?”

“Let’s see.” Soos went along with it, not wanting to ask and ruin the moment. He’d either get Stan embarrassed and defensive or get it confirmed that he had heard wrong. He’d rather just pretend that he had heard those words.

Wishful thinking and all that.

He flicked the light switch, frowning when nothing happened again. “Hold on Mr Pines, let me try something else.” He took the screwdriver from behind his ear, starting to fiddle with the light switch instead this time in case he’d missed something there.

They continued in an amiable silence for a while before Stan spoke again.

“So what was it like? In Mabel’s bubble.”

Stan gazed at Soos out of the corner of his eye as the boy stuck his tongue out and fiddled with the switch in concentration. He didn’t really know why he had asked but somehow the way Dipper and Mabel spoke about it were so different he kind of wanted the third opinion.

That and he was curious to hear what the bubble had created for him.

“Mabel’s bubble? I guess it was like being inside Mabel’s mind?”

“Terrifying then?”

Soos hummed, grinning. “Kind of, dude. It was bright and loud and full of attack glitter.”

“Definitely terrifying.”

“But that was before we realised it was Mabel that was kind of creating everything. Or- well, Bill creating everything with her in mind. Pretty sure he was doing it, cause it was all too bright and loud even for her once Dipper got through to her and all. And in between it was actually…”

Stan waited patiently, before his eyebrows raised into his hairline at Soos’s silence. He turned to him fully, his head tilting when he saw the sentimental smile on his employees face. “What? What happened?”

“Well Mabel said it gave you what you wanted.” Soos shrugged, continuing to work with the sappy smile on his face. “We found her and she showed us what the bubble could do. Wendy got to go do things she’d always wanted to, and well…” Soos’s smile grew, his words growing more nostalgic as he went on, almost like he was forgetting he was actually talking to someone else as he slipped back into the memory, hands working on autopilot. He didn’t notice the atmosphere growing icier, the sudden dark expression on his employers face or the tightly gritted teeth. “I got to meet my Dad again. Or what the bubble thought he’d be like? It was weird but it was great too. Like, I finally got to go play catch with him and stuff like I always wanted to. I know it was all fake and I shouldn’t have done it, should have listened to Dipper but…It was nice, you know? He was there for me for once-”

A loud crunch broke him out of his reverie.

Soos frowned, turning back round to Stan who was sat staring at his hand in slight shock as well, as if he hadn’t meant to do what he had. The half empty can was crushed in his fist, the a sad popping noise as it tried to reshape itself the only sound between them as he forced his hand open again. “Mr Pines?”

“Everything alright in here?”

Before Stan could respond a voice sounded from the doorway making them jump. They both glanced up to find a very concerned face staring back at them. Ford looked over the scene, not really sure what had happened, having only caught the tail end of it but one look at Stan’s relieved face was enough for him to know he had stepped in at the right time.

“Yeah, of course. Didn’t know my own strength, that’s all.” Stan shrugged it off, giving a fake bark of a laugh as he transferred the can from one hand to the other shaking off the spillage he’d caused at the same time. Ford could see the façade slip back up, locking away and bottling up whatever he was actually thinking as he lied through his teeth. The one that kept everyone at a distance and yet there was something different about it, something warring inside it that he couldn’t help smiling at. “Hey, Soos, it’s getting too dark for you to carry on fiddling with that. Just finish up in the morning.”

“But-”

“I’ve got a different job for you.” Stan spoke over him, voice gruff and eyes stern as Soos’s mouth shut with a snap and he stood to attention. Stan tried to keep his face neutral as he regarded him. “You know…I haven’t seen any of those old videos we used to watch in the break times around here since it’s all been tidied up. They did survive all the weirdness…right?”

Soos’s eyes lit up at the thought. “I don’t know Mr Pines but I know where they’d be if they have.”

“Well, I don’t remember you taking a break today and as much as I admire the overtime for no extra pay, you know full well it could get me in trouble.” Stan waved a finger at him. “So last job of the day is to go find me one of those old re-runs while I go get myself another drink. Up to you whether you stay and watch it or get going- no pay either way just so we’re clear.”

“On it, Mr Pines!”

“I’ll go get that drink and leave you both to it then.” Ford let Soos slip passed him, ignoring Stan’s grumbles as he went to stand up and he pushed him back down. He quickly darted to the kitchen, grabbing them both a drink and returning, his thoughts more on keeping Stan where he could see him and checking things over. He sat down in the chair next to his brother, smirking as the man tried his best to ignore him, only grunting as thanks for his replacement drink.

Obviously somewhere along the way in that almost sappy moment Stan had forgotten his brother had been there watching too. But then again Stan had become more open, slowly but surely since his memories returned. He had found it harder to keep up the stoic attitude when there was so much concern bubbling around him from every person.

“ _Is_ everything OK?”

“ _Yes_.”

Ford pursed his lips at the short, sharp remark. “Stan…”

“I want to punch Bill again, OK?” Stan’s fist tightened again on the side of the chair before he realised what he was doing and dropped the new can where he couldn’t repeat his last mistake. He glared at nothing, fidgeting. “I wanna punch him in his stupid triangle face again and again.”

Ford hummed, nodding along with him as he settled into the seat. “Can’t say I don’t feel the same. But from what you told me- that was one hell of a punch you gave him.”

Stan grinned. It was all teeth, vicious and victorious. “Not something he’ll be getting up from again.”

“Good.”

Stan’s smile dropped back into a fierce glare, eyes checking the doorway a few times before he continued. “I want to punch his father as well though. Repeatedly.” The words were muttered, almost a hissing promise more than words for anyone to hear.

Ford however heard every word from the seat next to him.

“Well that one I can’t agree to.” Ford tried not to laugh, instead keeping his face thoughtful and deadpan as Stan turned to him, his face thunderous. “I mean, I can’t condone you hitting yourself.”

Stan blinked at him a few times, watching the smile struggling to spread across Ford’s face as his own went slack jawed. He coughed, his face heating up in embarrassment as he turned away from his brother, his teeth gritted at the soft laughter he could hear. “You know what I meant. His _real_ father.”

Ford beamed, resisting the urge to nudge his brother. He didn’t voice his thoughts about how Stan hadn’t actually denied his claim at all either. “My point still stands. A father figure is a real father.”

Stan growled, his irritation growing the longer they spoke but it was an odd annoyance, tinged with a small amount of amusement at being able to be baited by his brother like this after 40 years of grudges and resentment. The cogs in his mind clicked into place as he turned back to Ford, his eyes triumphant. “His biological father then.”

“Heh, you got me there.”

Stan nodded, proud as he settled back into his chair, flopping his head back in satisfaction. “Neglectful asshole deserves a good few punches.”

“Language, Stanley.”

The exasperation bubbled up again, Stan’s eyes narrowing at the ceiling. “Don’t you ‘language, Stanley’ me! The kids are fast asleep and there are no nicer ways of describing that-that- _asshole_.” He nodded to himself, arms going wide to accentuate the point even as his words failed him.

“Hmm…Can’t argue with that.”

“Really?” Stan’s voice dripped with sarcasm, humour dancing on its edge as he found himself smiling back at Ford’s frustratingly happy face. “I thought proving me wrong was a hobby of yours, Poindexter.”

“Well, when you’re right, you’re right…not very often it happens though.” Ford mused, wincing jokingly when Stan punched him in the shoulder. “Alright, alright, I’m kidding, I’m kidding!”

An amiable silence fell between them for a second. Stan let his eyes slip closed as they waited, the anger that had been fuelling him slipping away again. It had hurt to know that the bubble had created a father for Soos but then again, he knew it was something that played heavily on his mind and always would.

It was one of the reasons why Stan had tried so hard as Soos grew up, even whilst pretending he didn’t care. He hadn’t actually meant to ever start caring but memories of his own father made him want to make it better for someone else and the kid had grown on him the longer he stayed.

The kid had wormed his way under his skin and as much as it annoyed him, he wouldn’t have it any other way now.

Not that he’d ever admit it out loud.

“It’s good to have you back, Knucklehead.”

Stan’s eyes popped open at the quiet voice, his eyebrows furrowing as he turned to his brother.

“Wha-”

“Mr Pines I found them! Some are a bit battered but it looks like the best one is still good.” Soos barrelled back into the room, hands filled with boxes as he pushed them up to look under them at the two slightly dazed old men, both still on the verge of a heart to heart that Soos had unwittingly interrupted. “Oh, other Mr Pines, you’re still here. Are you gonna stay and watch these with us?”

“Y-yeah, Sixer.” Stan coughed, turning back towards the TV and gesturing for Soos to start it up. “This nerd show is right up your street.”

“Sure, let me just finish up what I was doing. Start without me.” Ford stood up, gesturing to the kitchen as he went, amused when neither of them even questioned he hadn’t come from there. He slipped around the corner, watching curiously. He couldn’t help the chuckle at the practised motions, at watching what had probably become a routine when Soos was younger. How he sat on the floor without complaint in front of Stan’s seat legs crossed and back against the foot of the chair.

He watched as Stan slowly but hesitantly put a hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze before sitting back with a huff, grumbling at him to fast forward even when Soos hadn’t made a move to say anything about the motion, just smiled happily.

Ford watched for a few more moments before he joined them again, not wanting to break the moment when one of them noticed him missing for too long. But in all honesty what he really wanted to do was savour the moment for a little bit longer, perhaps tease Stan about it later when Ford started to call Soos his son.

He’d have to take a leaf out of Mabel’s book and start carrying a camera around for Scrapbook moments. Otherwise no one would ever believe him.

**Author's Note:**

> AN: Done, just pure fluff. To settle all the angst I’ve been doing recently ^.^ I hope you guys liked it ♥


End file.
